Al-Qaida offshoot grows in the desert

In this photo taken May 12, 2010, Malian troops and soldiers from other African countries perform a war dance during a training exercise with the U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)
— AP

In this photo taken May 12, 2010, Malian troops and soldiers from other African countries perform a war dance during a training exercise with the U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)
/ AP

In this photo taken May 17, 2010, a nomad from the famed Tuareg nomad tribe of the Sahara Desert brings his herd for vaccination to a team of U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert hading out aid near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou.)— AP

In this photo taken May 17, 2010, a nomad from the famed Tuareg nomad tribe of the Sahara Desert brings his herd for vaccination to a team of U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert hading out aid near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou.)
/ AP

In this photo taken May 17, 2010, a nomad from the famed Tuareg nomad tribe of the Sahara Desert brings his herd for vaccination to a team of U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert hading out aid near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)— AP

In this photo taken May 17, 2010, a nomad from the famed Tuareg nomad tribe of the Sahara Desert brings his herd for vaccination to a team of U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert hading out aid near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)
/ AP

In this photo taken May 12, 2010, Malian troops and soldiers from other African countries train with the U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou.)— AP

In this photo taken May 12, 2010, Malian troops and soldiers from other African countries train with the U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou.)
/ AP

In this photo taken May 10, 2010, a U.S. Special Forces soldier trains troops from Senegal combat techniques in Kati, Mali, during a joint training exercise with units from several African armies. Over 200 U.S. soldiers and Marines have deployed in six African countries to take part in "Flintlock," a three-week U.S. lead exercise to help some 600 African troops face the rising threat of drug traffickers, al-Qaida-linked terrorists and kidnappers in the vast no-man's land of the Sahara Desert. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou.)— AP

In this photo taken May 10, 2010, a U.S. Special Forces soldier trains troops from Senegal combat techniques in Kati, Mali, during a joint training exercise with units from several African armies. Over 200 U.S. soldiers and Marines have deployed in six African countries to take part in "Flintlock," a three-week U.S. lead exercise to help some 600 African troops face the rising threat of drug traffickers, al-Qaida-linked terrorists and kidnappers in the vast no-man's land of the Sahara Desert. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou.)
/ AP

In this photo taken May 10, 2010, a U.S. Special Forces soldier fires a Russian-made "Dushka" heavy machine gun off a Malian army truck in Kati, Mali, during a joint training exercise with a unit of elite Malian troops. Over 200 U.S. soldiers and Marines have deployed in six African countries to take part in "Flintlock," a three-week U.S. lead exercise to help some 600 African troops face the rising threat of drug traffickers, al-Qaida-linked terrorists and kidnappers in the vast no-man's land of the Sahara Desert. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)— AP

In this photo taken May 10, 2010, a U.S. Special Forces soldier fires a Russian-made "Dushka" heavy machine gun off a Malian army truck in Kati, Mali, during a joint training exercise with a unit of elite Malian troops. Over 200 U.S. soldiers and Marines have deployed in six African countries to take part in "Flintlock," a three-week U.S. lead exercise to help some 600 African troops face the rising threat of drug traffickers, al-Qaida-linked terrorists and kidnappers in the vast no-man's land of the Sahara Desert. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)
/ AP

In this photo taken May 17, 2010, a Malian child wearing a Barack Obama T-shirt waits in line to receive medication from a team of U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)— AP

In this photo taken May 17, 2010, a Malian child wearing a Barack Obama T-shirt waits in line to receive medication from a team of U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)
/ AP

In this photo taken May 17, 2010, U.S. medics prepare to pull a tooth out from a sick Malian woman during a medical outreach operation with a team of U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)— AP

In this photo taken May 17, 2010, U.S. medics prepare to pull a tooth out from a sick Malian woman during a medical outreach operation with a team of U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)
/ AP

In this photo taken May 10, 2010, Malian special forces drill to face off an ambush as a U.S. Special Forces soldier gives instruction from a Malian truck in Kati, Mali, during a joint training exercise. Over 200 U.S. soldiers and Marines have deployed in six African countries to take part in "Flintlock," a three-week U.S. lead exercise to help some 600 African troops face the rising threat of drug traffickers, al-Qaida-linked terrorists and kidnappers in the vast no-man's land of the Sahara Desert. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)— AP

In this photo taken May 10, 2010, Malian special forces drill to face off an ambush as a U.S. Special Forces soldier gives instruction from a Malian truck in Kati, Mali, during a joint training exercise. Over 200 U.S. soldiers and Marines have deployed in six African countries to take part in "Flintlock," a three-week U.S. lead exercise to help some 600 African troops face the rising threat of drug traffickers, al-Qaida-linked terrorists and kidnappers in the vast no-man's land of the Sahara Desert. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)
/ AP

In this photo taken May 12, 2010, an elite unit of desert fighters from the Malian army trains with the U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo / Alfred de Montesquiou)— AP

In this photo taken May 12, 2010, an elite unit of desert fighters from the Malian army trains with the U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo / Alfred de Montesquiou)
/ AP

In this photo taken May 12, 2010, Malian troops and soldiers from other African countries train with the U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)— AP

In this photo taken May 12, 2010, Malian troops and soldiers from other African countries train with the U.S. Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near the town of Gao in northeastern Mali. The U.S. and other Western militaries are providing help to the Sahara region's weak armies, which face growing threats from al-Qaida linked militants and drug traffickers. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)
/ AP

GAO, Mali 
Dozens of Malian troops rush through the sweltering desert, yell war cries and open fire, spitting hundreds of bullets from rifles and machine guns. It's all part of a training session - run by the United States.

The U.S. is trying to help nations bordering the Sahara and the arid Sahel region to contain a growing threat of terrorism. More than 200 U.S. Special Forces and 500 African troops trained together in May, in the latest of several large military maneuvers over the past few years.

Intelligence officers estimate there are some 400 Al-Qaida extremists based in the vast emptiness north of here, up from about 200 just a year ago. They worry that the militants are teaming up with smugglers carrying cocaine across the desert to Europe and with the restless nomad tribes of the Sahara.

As the extremists get stronger and wealthier, they are attracting more recruits among local youth and Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa. While Algeria's large military has managed to contain most terror attacks to the hinterland, militants have spread southward through the porous borders of the Sahara to take advantage of weaker African governments like Mali and Niger.

Officials fear the militants could use their safe havens to mount jihadi operations against Europe and the United States.

"You can consider they're only 400 in the desert, but they now dominate a zone half the size of Europe," says a French official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because his job is to monitor the zone. "It's a threat everybody is taking very, very seriously."

----

A dust bowl of adobe mud houses surrounded by sand dunes, the small town of Gao lies at the junction between al-Qaida and organized crime. The Tuareg nomads pitch tents on the town's outskirts, along with Arab and Moorish Bedouins. The Peul, a black tribe of cattle herders, live in round, wooden huts right next to a gated hotel compound transformed into a U.S. military camp.

Gao, in northeastern Mali, marks the start of an area twice the size of Texas that has been declared a no-go zone, where al-Qaida is holding hostage two Spaniards and a Frenchman.

The northern halves of Mali and of neighboring Niger, the eastern part of Mauritania and the southern tip of Algeria are now "red zones" banned for travelers by the French Foreign Affairs Ministry, which maintains close ties to the region - a French colony until the 1960s. American and British authorities have also issued strong terrorism warnings.

Malian soldiers trying to patrol the area have lost several men during clashes with drug traffickers, arms smugglers, bandits and al-Qaida.

"The real problem is that it's getting hard to know who's an Islamist and who's just a criminal," said Col. Braihama Tagara, the military commander for Gao region. "They support each other more and more."

The gunmen's weaponry has improved hugely of late, Tagara said. They can open fire with automatic riffles, heavy machine guns and even R-Pgs, and they all have Thuraya satellite phones to share intelligence.